Running Dry

100 Marathons, 100 Days, 1 Reason: Water

“Make every drop count. It’s time for action.”

The High Level Panel on Water, March 2018

My runs are a call to the world to join together to save water. The water we need to live -- to survive -- is running dry. But we can all help solve the world’s water crisis and every one of us can make a difference. I am 100 percent committed to running for our planet. Every drop counts.

In November, Mina will begin her biggest challenge yet -- 100 marathons, 100 days and a 100 percent commitment to a single cause: water. Mina will engage with communities and people hit by the water crisis, and meet those innovating to solve it.The challenge starts in November in New York. Mina will then run across Europe, China, Australia, India, the Middle East, Africa and South America, before finishing her 100-day run in the United States. For this challenge, she is proudly supported by Colgate and Reebok, and is partnered with the United Nations Development Programme.100 Marathons in 100 Days will tell the stories of what’s happening on the ground, and will connect and mobilise people and companies to find ways to help solve this global water crisis.

Join us and make every drop count. Tweet ‘count me in because #EveryDropCounts’ to get involved or use the infographic images contained in the social media share pack below.

The Running Dry Route will take me to cities around the world to highlight the global water crisis and how to solve it.

add your voice on social media and let's make #everydropcount

Mina's Sponsors for Running Dry

Blog PostS

A few days ago I had a long discussion with my brilliant Melbourne-based physio Ali Low and my new athlete manager Tim Cole. We were talking about an injury that has literally stopped me in my running tracks – over the past 10 days or so, I have been forced into the pool and stressing on a daily basis about the fact that I’m well….not running.

Their view was that whilst there may indeed be something causing aggravation in my hip, the sense of pain is being over interpreted by my brain. This is causing me to sense incredible pain, and in response, my brain shuts down the muscles around that area.

Let’s be clear: all the MRI scans I’ve had of the area are negative. Negative for stress fracture, negative for any major injury. Negative for everything other than some minor wear and tear expected of someone “my age” (yup that’s what 47 years on the planet does for you!).

Ali has done all the clinical tests, bending my hip every which way, poking and prodding my back and testing everything she can think of. Everything shows up negative.

Picture this. It’s just turned 6am. It’s pitch black and outside it’s 4 degrees, but feels closer to zero. Wind careens across the ground, and rain is in the forecast.

I’m at the outdoor pool. The lights cast a dim yellow glow across the water. The heat from the water evaporates and condenses into a mist that hangs close to the surface. It’s so thick that you can’t see past the first set of flags hung across the pool. Today the flags blow in the wind. They’re my litmus test of the temperature and conditions, and they’re telling me that today it’s going to be bad.

I have a secret: I’m actually okay with not running. It’s nice to sleep in on a wintry morning and not have to go out into the cold trussed up like a chicken with water in my backpack that feels like it’s been in the deep freeze.

It’s fun to be able to go to brunch with my friends. To organise dinner and stay up beyond 9 pm. I have time in my day to get things done. And I’m not always fighting the mental and physical demons of exhaustion.

Yup. This not running thing is actually okay.

But here’s the deal. I believe in something far bigger than me. It’s this pesky thing that lurks around in the back of my mind. It’s my passion.